Rock Glen Falls, Ontario

Quick Facts

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Accessibility: 10/10 (easy, numerous stairs)
Height: 33′ / 10 m
Hike: 0.1 miles / 0.15 km round-trip

The Record

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Rock Glen Falls often serves as the final stop for those touring the waterfalls of Southwestern Ontario, but it offers an experience quite different from the typical nature hike. My own visit left me with mixed feelings, partly due to the expectations of Rock Glen Conservation Area itself. There is a per-person entry fee. The grounds are very well maintained with excellent stairs and boardwalks, though the “atmosphere” can be a bit unexpected. Being situated in a heavy farming region, the “agricultural smell” can be quite potent depending on the day, which adds a unique, if slightly distracting, layer to the visit.

The falls themselves are a 33-foot high cascade. While they are easy to reach and certainly pretty, they can be a bit underwhelming during the drier summer months. To see them at their most exciting, a springtime visit is essential when the snowmelt fuels a much more powerful flow. However, if you only focus on the water, you might miss the true treasure of this park: its status as one of the best Devonian-era fossil hunting grounds in the province.

While the fossils aren’t always jumping out at you from the boardwalks, the real adventure lies in the creek bed below the falls. The area is well known for brachiopods, crinoids, and trilobite fossils. If you take that “interesting walk down the creek” again, keep your eyes peeled for small, shell-like shapes or “stone lilies” embedded in the soft shale. This turns the trip from a simple waterfall viewing into a hands-on prehistoric scavenger hunt.

Directions

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1. The road leading to the falls can be accessed from ON-402, though I’m not sure what exit would lead you to the road of interest.
2. You want to get to Lambton Co. Rd. 79, which heads north/south. If you’re coming from 402, you’ll want to head north on 79. 79 is also known as Arkona Rd.
3. You’ll pass the intersection of 79 and 12. Keep heading north on 79 for a short distance until you get to Rock Glen Rd.
4. Turn right on Rock Glen Rd. and follow the signs to the entrance to the conservation area.

Where in the World is Rock Glen Falls?

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